Jurgen Klopp has warned that Liverpool will have to be at their best to get past Benfica in the Champions League. The Reds take on the Portuguese outfit in the first leg of the quarter-final of the competition this week.
Liverpool are back in Portugal for the second time this season, after facing Porto earlier in the group stage of the tournament. This will be the first time that the Reds have faced Benfica in the Champions League since they lost 3-0 on aggregate in 2006.
Benfica saw off Ajax in their last-16 tie to book a quarter-final clash against Liverpool, but are not doing as well domestically. They are third in the table and 12 points adrift of leaders Porto having played one game more.
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Klopp insists that despite Benfica not thriving in their own league, their success in Europe means Liverpool will have to be wary of the threats they pose.
“We want to be at the top of our game, that’s the plan for all of our games,” said Klopp, in his pre-match press conference.
“It’s not about trying to improve here or there, you try to improve in general.
“Benfica are a very different opponent (to Watford), one of the most successful teams in Portugal. This year, maybe not exactly where they want to be in the table, but they went far in the Champions League.
“They are a tough opponent, I know a lot of players from the Premier League or Bundesliga or wherever, so it’s a proper team.
“We have to be really good.”
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Klopp was then asked if new signing Luis Diaz had provided any insight from his time in Portugal with Porto on how Benfica could play. The Reds boss answered the question, and went on to explain what he expects from the Portuguese club.
“He (Diaz) tried but I didn’t understand a word,” said Klopp.
“We have with Vitor Matos and Pep Lijnders, some of the boys - Diogo Jota and Luis - enough specialists in Portuguese football in our team.
“We did our analysis anyway completely normal, because we do not need inside stories, we watch the football team.
“That’s what we did in the meeting with the boys, so now all of the information is shared and we have to make sure that we use them.”
Klopp continued: “It’s a football playing side, high full-backs which shows they are ready to take a risk.
“When they are in possession they open up the formation, a lot of space to move the ball. At least we expect that, that’s what they have done in pretty much all of their games.
“Maybe against us they will play completely differently, we have to adapt to that.
“It’s a mix of technical players with speed, and good organisation and that’s what makes them dangerous.
“They came through the group, in the league they are not in the position, the gap between Porto is too big for their understanding, but in the Champions League they overachieved.
“They were not favourites in the group, against Ajax they weren’t favourites, and that shows they know how to get a result.”
